What John and Cait Ate…Say Cheese!

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

-Yogi Berra

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it…and try these concessions!”

-John & Cait

Say Cheese!

During each homestand, we will be meeting with John DiMartini, Executive Chef at Delaware North Sportservice/Miller Park to sample some of the latest and greatest Miller Park fare and review it here, for you.

New this year, Sportservice has opened a grilled cheese stand with several options that are sure to please any cheesehead!

Ironically, on the same day we set out on our concession stand grilled cheese taste test, Brewers Clubhouse Assistant Matt Smith was preparing grilled cheese sandwiches for the players and staff in the clubhouse kitchen. Smith said he makes his grilled cheese with “good old American cheese and Texas Toast.”

The Classic Grilled Cheese-$4

This classic grilled cheese consists of American cheese on sourdough bread with guaranteed oo-ey, goo-ey goodness in every bite!

John: I was a hard grader when it came to the “classic” grilled cheese as I would put my mom’s “classic” grilled cheese against any other. Not a bad sandwich for a simple ballpark snack.

Cait: Although all of the sandwiches that we tried were very good; the classic was my favorite. True comfort food, it took me back to when I was little, sitting in mom’s kitchen; I remember thinking that the sandwiches were called “girl cheeses” and I even asked, “Why don’t they have boy cheese sandwiches?”

Now I’m rating the sandwiches as part of my job. Ah, I’ve come a long way. Anyway, it was no so surprise to me to learn that this was the number one seller as far as grilled cheeses go at Miller Park. Now if only I could get a good bowl of tomato soup to dip it in!

Bacon Grilled Cheese- $6

John: The Wisconsin cheddar on this sandwich put it over the top for me. I love cheddar cheese and it complemented the bacon and tomato.

Cait: This sandwich was right up there with the classic grilled cheese for me; the dijonaisse, bacon, tomato added some interesting textures and flavors while the cheddar cheese had just tinge of sharpness to it. A nice, warm sandwich to enjoy on a cool, crisp fall day at the ballpark.

Rating:

(out of 5)

Southwest Grilled Cheese- $6

A new twist on an old favorite, this grilled cheese sandwich consists of southwestern chicken salad, avocado aioli, pico de gallo and cheddar cheese on spicy jalapeno bread.

John: This sandwich was amazing. I didn’t really know what to expect, but the flavor was great. Beware, it was kind of messy and might require a fork, but this was hands down the best sandwich at the stand. Delicious flavor in the chicken salad and a little bit of spice to it as well.

Cait: Of the three sandwiches, this was my least favorite, but I think because John liked it so much, our rating averaged out to the same as the others. Don’t get me wrong-the sandwich was definitely not bad; my rating was based mostly on a personal aversion to mayo and chicken salad.

Rating:

(out of 5)

The Cheesy Grillwurst-$4.50

While not a grilled cheese, this offering definitely belongs at the Hot Cheese stand. What is it, you ask? Why, it’s the cheesy grillwurst! The cheesy grillwurst is a cross between a brat and a hot dog, with cheddar cheese bursts in every bite.

John: When you are in Wisconsin, why not mix sausage and cheese? Sounds like a great idea. The Klement’s cheesy grillwurst was pretty good. My favorite part about this particular stand is that they keep the Secret Stadium Sauce hot on the grill. Ask to have the grillwurst dipped in the sauce, it is fantastic. I’m told more and more stands are getting the option to “dip” in the Secret Stadium Sauce. I remember when going to games when I was younger at County Stadium having my hot dog dipped in the hot Secret Stadium Sauce. It is the best.

Cait: Personally, I had never heard of the cheesy grillwurst; however… our graphic designer and my good friend, Jeff Harding, sits next to me at work and he sure has. Now, there are only a couple of times that I can recall when Jeff has shown a lot of emotion on the job. One was when we clinched the Wild Card in 2008; the other was when I mentioned the cheesy grillwurst. [Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit, but the guy was pretty pumped.]

Apparently, this is one of Jeff’s favorite foods and he carries many good memories associated with it as he says this product used to be served up at Lambeau Field. Jeff noted that in recent years, he has been disappointed that he could no longer find the cheesy grillwurst on the menu there. Well, little did he know that this year it’s been cooked and served on the same floor as our offices at Miller Park! This news made that cheese ball’s day and he’s made it clear that he’s going to seek one out this weekend.

As for my opinion: As you know from reading past reviews, I am not a meatlover, however I do think the cheesy grillwurst is pretty good and definitely worth trying.

Rating:

(out of 5)

Where To Satisfy Your Craving: All of these items can be found at Hot Cheese, located behind Section 208 on the Loge Level, along with beverages and the ever-popular helmet cheese fries.

What about you? Do you have a favorite ballpark snack? Want to dispute our reviews? A question about concessions? Something you’d like to see featured here? Post your comments below!

We’ll be back with another edition of What John and Cait Ate during the next homestand and until then, stay cool and…Bon Appetit!

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